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Chicago Grey
Bad day at the office for Grand National hope Chicago Grey
The Gordon Elliott-trained Chicago Grey did little to enhance his prospects for the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree in April when running a lack lustre race at Cheltenham this weekend in coming home a well beaten seventh behind Galaxy Rock in the Grade 3 Rewards4Racing Handicap Chase, writes Elliot Slater.
Going into the three-mile-three-furlong stamina test hopes had been high that the Irish-trained runner would put up a big performance and he was the subject of solid market support being sent off a 4/1 chance to follow up his famous success at the track last March when running away with the four-mile National Hunt Chase. A decent run last time out over an inadequate three-miles in the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby when finishing third to the smart Weird Al augured well for his chance at the Prestbury track, but from the outset it was clear that Chicago Grey was not at his best as he jumped lethargically before blundering at the sixth. The ante-post Grand National odds have been adjusted following his disappointing efforts.
Driven along from half-way by jockey Paul Carberry, the eight-year-old began to lose touch going into the final mile and was soon a beaten horse, eventually trailing in some 51-lengths behind the winner, leaving connections wondering quite what went wrong. Maybe the underfoot conditions were slightly softer than had been ideal, but it is hard to make too many excuses for Elliott’s charge on that score. He has now been pushed out to as big as 33/1 with some firms (from 20s) for the Grand National following this very much below-par performance.
Three races in just four weeks since he unseated rider on his seasonal bow at Cheltenham last month might be the only seriously mitigating factor for Chicago Grey, so it would not surprise to see Elliott give his staying chaser a decent break now as the softer ground arrives for the winter before bringing him back hopefully in better heart in the spring.
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